What’s the difference between a licensed psychotherapist and another type of counselor?
To become licensed, a psychotherapist must achieve a master’s or doctorate degree, complete over 3000 hours of clinical work that is supervised by a licensed professional, and pass two state Board exams. A person can advertise themselves as a counselor, life coach, advisor, etc. without needing to satisfy any educational criteria, and without having anyone review their work to ensure that it meets minimum standards of safety and reliability. Only sessions with a licensed psychotherapist can be paid for (or reimbursed) by insurance carriers.
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